Pubdate: Thu, 22 Jan 2004
Source: Hartford Advocate (CT)
Copyright: 2004 New Mass. Media, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.hartfordadvocate.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/182
Author: Dan Levine and Chris Harris
Cited: Marijuana Policy Project http://www.mpp.org/
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

POT'S GOT A SHOT

State Rep. James Abrams (D-Meriden) is expected to once again
reintroduce a medical marijuana bill during this year's upcoming
legislative session -- one he's proposed in the last three sessions.
Progress was made last spring when there was a floor vote on the
proposal, which would have legalized the medicinal use of cannabis for
victims of debilitating diseases; it was defeated 64 to 79, but Abrams
and others considered the drubbing a step forward.

During this year's battle, Abrams will get a helping hand from a noble
confederate, the Marijuana Policy Project. The Washington, D.C.,
group, that seeks to decriminalize marijuana for medical and
recreational use, has, according to the group's communications
director, Bruce Mirken, hired a local lobbyist, to push the proposal
to a second house vote, and, with any luck, move it onto the books.

"We had reasonable success moving the bill forward last year, and it
didn't pass," explains Mirken. "But these things never pass the first
year. We're planning to move ahead this year." Still, Mirken says the
group's yet to formalize a plan of attack, as "everything in the
legislature's in disarray, as the situation with the governor sorts
out."

The bill, as proposed, would permit patients to cultivate and possess
restricted amounts of marijuana. Patients would register with the
state Department of Public Safety, so if police were ever to arrest
them, the courts would be obligated to dismiss the charge.

Mirken says no matter what happens with Rowland during the coming
weeks, it'll still be a struggle to find politicians who are warm to
this issue, as most "politicians, including Democrats and Liberals,
are scared to death of being labeled soft on drugs," he explains.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin